Muntu’s cronies dropped in Opposition reshuffle

New leader of Opposition in Parliament, Betty Aol Ochan has made changes to shadow cabinet including appointing Muhammad Nsereko to the security docket. Ochan, whose appointment in August last year by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president, Patrick Amuriat Oboi, threatened to spawn a rebellion by a section of Opposition lawmakers, especially from Kiiza’s Kasese district, is seeking to have a team whose loyalty is beyond reproach.

Although the former teacher turned politician avoided the temptation to sanction wholesale changes, the new appointees and those dropped mirror the current contestations inside FDC as Uganda’s biggest Opposition party grapples with the recent decision by its former president, Gen. (Rtd) Mugisha Muntu to lead a break away.

The notable new faces include Joy Otim Ongom (Lira district) of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Kampala Central’s Nsereko. With UPC’s party president, Jimmy Akena entering into a memorandum of understanding with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) on the cusp of the 2016 general elections, its lawmakers have endured a whispering campaign that they are ‘double agents.’ The UPC-NRM ‘alliance’ has since seen Akena’s wife, Betty Among, appointed minister for lands in the NRM government and Maxwell Akora (Maruzi County) appointed deputy chairperson of Parliament’s ICT committee.

For Nsereko, his appointment raises eyebrows on account of his high-profile tango with former FDC president, Dr Kizza Besigye and Opposition chief whip Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda in the wake of the highly contentious 2016 presidential polls. Nsereko came under withering attack from the duo and other hard line FDC supporters for deriding calls by Besigye to form a parallel government, dubbed the ‘people’s government’ describing it as a recipe for fanning the embers of avoidable violence.

And besides, NRM has for long regarded Nsereko as its own, having joining the Ninth Parliament on its ticket. However, in an interview with Saturday Vision yesterday, Nsereko downplayed the significance of his appointment.

“This is like any other duty to help my country grow. I will offer alternative policies and opinions to those in government. There is no need for excitement” Nsereko said.

Other notable independents appointed include Joshua Carter Anywarach, Bernard Atiku and Kato Lubwama. However, Ochan’s decision to drop Herbert Ariko as shadow minister of public service and Robert Centenary might be interpreted as evidence of emerging fault lines inside FDC as the duo are deemed as unapologetic Muntu sympathisers.

Since Muntu decided to break away from FDC, a number of opposition MPs and Opposition leaning independents have not been shy to throw their weight behind his cause by gracing the activities of his New Formation. These include Paul Mwiru, Ariko, Angelline Osegge, Ibrahim Kasozi, Gerald Karuhanga, Elijah Okupa and Kassiano Wadri.

And save for Kasozi, all the aforesaid are missing on the list of the new cabinet. Other conspicuous absentees include Odonga Otto, Nabillah Naggayi and Jack Wamai Wamanga.

“This appointment takes effect immediately. We need to be united and work hard to serve all Ugandans,” Ochan told the House.

Ochan’s decision to appoint Kasozi and Nsereko might point to her readiness to hold out an olive branch, yet the dropping of Centenary and Ariko might is proof that FDC is willing to jettison those whose royalty is questionable.

Shadow cabinet ministers (2016–2021)

NAME

POSITION

PARTY

Wilfred Niwagaba

Attorney General

INDEPENDENT

Lubega Medard Ssegona

Justice and constitutional affairs

DP

Lucy Aciro

Gender Labour and social Development

INDEPENDENT

Anne Adeke

Youth and children affairs

INDEPENDENT

Jonathan Odur

Public service and presidency

UPC

Francis Barnabas Gonahasa

Agriculture

FDC

Peter Okot

Animal industry and fisheries

DP

Mathias Mpuuga

Education and sports

DP

Allan Ssewanyana

Sports and creative arts

DP

Bernard Atiku

Defence and veteran affairs

INDEPENDENT

Muwanga Kivumbi

Internal affairs

DP

Joshua Anywarach

Human rights

INDEPENDENT

Betty Nambooze

Kampala Capital City Authority

DP

Godfrey Katushabe

Foreign affairs

FDC

Francis Zaake

East African community

INDEPENDENT

William Nzoghu

Works and transport

FDC

Julius Ochen

Health

INDEPENDENT

Simon Oyet

Energy and Minerals

FDC

Charles Abacacon Angiro

Tourism wild life and antiquities

FDC

Rabii Gershom Sizomu

Rehabilitation , relief and disaster preparedness

FDC

Paul Luttamaguzi Ssemakula

Lands housing and urban development

DP

Ibrahim Kasozi

Physical planning

FDC

Fred Turyamuhweza

Trade and industry

FDC

Emmanuel Ongieritho

Cooperatives

FDC

Betty Muzanira

Local Government

FDC

Joy Atim

Special regions affairs

UPC

Denis Oguzu

Science technology and innovation

FDC

Florence Namayanja

Water and Environment

DP

Lubwama Kato

Culture and performing arts

INDEPENDENT

Nserekko Muhammad

Security

INDEPENDENT

Anthony Akol

Finance planning and economic development

FDC

Sharing is Caring :

Lukwago Joseph grew up in a newspaper family, and rumor has it that instead of playing the guitar in his infancy, his parents put a reporter’s notebook and a pen next to him shortly after he turned born eight years.
Before becoming editor of UGANDANZ, Lukwago was a parliament news editor for WBS TV. He joined UGANDANZ in July 2018, A few months after the company launched.
Lukwago also spent five years as a freelance reporter, where he covered reporting for the highest bidder, intelligence, foreign policy, and Ugandan police.
Lukwago graduated from Makerere University in 2008 with a B.A. in Journalism and worked on his college newspaper.